From my Instagram: “4 new eps of Adventure Time next week. Tues is an ep I boarded solo. I remember this was the episode that started to break down my mental defenses, which resulted in possibly some of my best writing in the latter half of Season 6. “Best” meaning weirdest.”

Comments on my own comments: “Weird” is a reductive word. When I use the word “weird” I’m trying to put myself in the shoes of general audiences. The thing that’s invested me in working for the show is that season by season, my bosses allow me to experiment with narrative form, and thematic aggressiveness. It’s like a rubber band that keeps stretching. So when I’m on the verge of emotional/spiritual collapse, my writing for the show actually benefits in a way that makes me nervous about audience reactions. I don’t see any way around that kind of relationship between author and general audiences. There’s always going to be some kind of tension there – especially if you are trying out new shit with each go. I read the Bhagavad Gita recently, and it helped me navagate the idea of expectations. So I think I figured out a way to keep pushing without feeling too overwhelmed by the response to my work.

Right now I’m in a pretty steady zone – concentrating on characters and humor, less so about concepts – and it’s feeling good – especially since Ako is temporarily working with me again.

Dude, Adventure Time is the best show on television and somehow you are behind all of the best episodes. I was rewatching ‘Something Big’ and tried to tweet you about how much epicness you fit into 11 minutes… ‘Is That You?’ is another excellent example of what sets AT apart from everything else. Keep up the good work man, waiting for the rest of season six is slowly killing me…

PS: A Manly shirt or poster… Tell me what I gotta do to make that happen.

Jesse Moynihan

Hey that’s real sweet of you thanks. Something Big is a weirdly structured episode that I felt broke some barriers for me in terms of writing for the show. I think it got a split reaction from audiences, but I am still really happy with how it came out. It totally breaks from the normal three act structure and having a main character to follow. It sort of just bounces from one character to another and then ends on a meditative philosophical journey. It intentionally breaks from what I view as audience expectation for mainstream narrative. So obviously, some people are gonna be allergic to it. I think though, Season 6 in general has and will be a bumpy ride for mainstream audience expectations. Certainly in the episodes I worked on, that are still coming up. One or two in particular. Heh.

Anyway, yeah I don’t have any Manly merch. Manly is owned by Frederator, so I’m not sure what the deal is with making merch.

Meekaihal

Hey Jesse. I’m a big fan of your work and I really only heard about you after looking at all my favorite episodes of adventure time and seeing you were consistently the creator or co-creator of most, if not all, of them. I then found forming and fell in love with your work. It’s great to know you’re expressing all these fantastical/occult/philosophical ideas through the medium of art/comics/animation. I saw that there’s only one shirt for forming and I was wondering if I could get your permission to use your amazing art to make my own shirts. I wouldn’t be selling them or anything they’d just be for me and/or presents for close friends.

Jesse Moynihan

Thanks man, yeah make all the shirts you want, I don’t care!

Raven Wedneadaye

You are absolutely wonderful! I wait eagerly every week for an episode written/boarded by you or a song written by you. Your effect on Adventure Time has had an impact on my life, and the lives of many of many of my friends. Don’t stop your awesomeness! You give my life new meaning